When your kids go to school for the first time: how do you handle it?

For some kids (and parents), heading off to preschool or kindergarten is the next no-big-deal step in their growth. Kids trip-trop happily off school, their backpacks and lunch bags full of excitement.

But for others, it's a fraught, pushme-pullyou transition with tears, anxiety, and uncertainty.

Thing is, you can't always predict which experience you or your kid's gonna have. How do you encourage your kid's growing independence while also staying sensitive to his fears?

I'm today's guest on the One Bad Mother podcast with Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn, both of whom are riding the New To School roller coaster.

I had such fun with Biz and Theresa! It's no surprise; look how they describe their podcast:

One Bad Mother is a comedy podcast about motherhood and how unnatural it sometimes is. We aren't all magical vessels!

Join us every week as we deal with the thrills and embarrassments of motherhood and strive for less judging and more laughing.

We talked, we laughed, we commiserated, and I offered what I hope is encouraging Minimalist Parenting-inspired advice.

Hard to believe it has been almost a YEAR since Minimalist Parenting hit the shelves. The response has been amazing, and our message about "enjoying more by doing less" is as relevant as ever. Especially meaningful as I navigate the teen years.